Monday delivered a jolt for Missouri basketball before the football season even gets rolling.
Mark Mitchell is coming back to Mizzou after backing off his previous commitment to Kentucky, and he’s doing it while pursuing a fifth year of eligibility. That part still isn’t locked in, but if Mitchell is cleared to play this season, Missouri’s ceiling rises in a hurry.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello was already high on the Tigers before Mitchell re-entered the picture, and now there’s even more reason for optimism in Columbia. For Mizzou fans, it was the kind of news that changes the mood of a day fast.
There’s plenty else on the calendar, too. Football kicks off Thursday night against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, and the week is already packed with game-week coverage.
Missouri is also preparing for a special teams reset, with Blake Craig set to lead a unit that needs a major jump from last season. Craig has the leg - he drilled a 55-yarder against Central Arkansas in the opener - and the hope is that he can put it all together this year.
On the volleyball side, Missouri is riding a perfect 3-0 start without dropping a set, and tonight’s matchup with Oregon at Hearnes Center should offer a real test. Oregon arrives as a top-25 team, giving Dawn Sullivan’s group a chance to turn a strong opening weekend into something even bigger. Sullivan’s message remains the same: trust the process.
Thursday’s football game also fits into a long-running pattern for Missouri. The Tigers haven’t played an FCS school since 2005 in a non-COVID year, and they’ve never lost to one in program history. That streak will be on the line against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, and history says Missouri usually handles these matchups the way it should.
Beyond the immediate schedule, there’s still bigger-picture work happening across the program. In a conversation with Goodman this week, Goodman said Missouri has the resources, facilities and people necessary to compete at the highest level. The goal is to turn that into a program that is competitive nationally, relevant in the SEC and recognizable because of the way its players compete.
The tennis program is trying to build toward that same kind of future under Robin Goodman, and the outlook is described as bright. Meanwhile, football still has the familiar question hanging over the Drinkwitz era: Missouri has consistently beaten the teams it’s supposed to beat, but it’s still searching for that statement win. One prediction in the mix has the Tigers finishing 8-4, with Drinkwitz and company landing one big home upset.
For now, though, the headline belongs to Mitchell. Missouri just got a lot more interesting.
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Got Pulled Back Into A Mark Mitchell Twist
Mark Mitchells path back to Columbia remains one of the more notable offseason twists for Missouri, especially because Kentucky had been in the middle of the picture before he changed course. After initially entering the portal and pledging to the Wildcats, Mitchell flipped his commitment back to Missouri, giving the Tigers a familiar frontcourt piece with plenty of high-major experience and a chance to settle into a role that could matter right away.
The only catch is that the move is still tied to his eligibility situation, and that keeps this from being a simple reunion story just yet. Mitchell is trying to gain a fifth season, but that part of the process is not settled, leaving Missouri with both optimism and a waiting game as it looks to see whether the twist ends with him on the floor this season. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Suddenly Has A Courtroom Problem Before The Season Opener
Missouris preseason build-up picked up an unexpected legal wrinkle when defensive tackle Sterling Webb filed a new temporary restraining order aimed at the University of Missouri and its Board of Curators. The move comes as the Tigers are preparing for their season opener, and Webb remains listed on the depth chart while still expected to be part of the lineup.
The filing is meant to keep the school from taking steps that would sideline him next season, including ruling him ineligible. A hearing on the motion, along with the NCAAs bid to dismiss Webbs original request, is set for Wednesday, giving Missouri another off-field issue to monitor just as the on-field attention turns to opening week. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Opener Will Reveal A Lot About This Offense
Missouris 2026 season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff will offer an early look at how much the offense can handle without two of its usual anchors. Ahmad Hardy and Cayden Green are out for the game, leaving openings in the backfield and on the offensive line, while Jamal Roberts is lined up to start at running back and Jack Lange and Whit Hafer are expected to help fill the gaps up front.
Much of the attention will also be on Simmons, who is set for his first start since being injured at Ole Miss last season. Missouri will need him to settle in quickly as the Tigers try to establish rhythm around a reshaped offense, while defensive leaders Rodriguez and Banner give the other side of the ball some continuity following Zion Youngs departure. The opener should say plenty about how ready Missouri is to absorb early-season personnel hits and still look like itself. [Read more 🡒]